Electrical outlet



July 29, 1941 G. H. voN GEI-1R 2,250,513

ELECTRICAL OUTLET Filed Dec. 4, 19355v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 29, 1941.G, H VQN GEHR 2,250,513

ELECTR I CAL OUTLET Filed Dec. 4, l19253 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July29, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIZIUTLET- I ApplicationDecember 4, 1933, Serial No. 700,835 4 claims. (ci. 173 334.1)

This invention relates to electrical outlets and has for an. object theprovision of a continuous electrical outlet.

'Ihe continuous electrical outlet 'of the invention is adapted to beprovided in strips of desired lengths that, throughout their length, arecomplementary to a usual outlet plug, a plurality of which may beattached thereto by plugging in" for electrically connecting electricalapparatus to a source of electrical energy.

Such a novel outlet may be advantageously employed in domestic orhousehold, automotive,

or other electrical distribution systems for providing convenientterminals for electrical apparatus to obviate long, unsightly, andawkward drop or extension cords and the dangers attending amateurwiring.

Other objects of the invention include the provision of a continuouselectrical outlet, and associated connectors for adapting the outlet tovarious electrical arrangements and to irregularities in supportingsurfaces; attaching means facilitating attachment to such surfaces; aconstruction readily conformable to various schemes of decoration; andother novel. constructions and arrangements of elements and combinationsthereof as will appear from the following description which, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, illustrates a preferredembodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a room employing a continuouselectrical outlet embodying the features of the invention; l

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective -view of a piece of the outlet shownin Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 are transverse sections through outlets of slightlydifferent construction, but contemplated by the present invention, theoutlet of Fig. 4 being illustrated with a usual or conventional outletplug;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section similar to that shown in Fig.4 and showing certain details of construction;

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are perspective views of connectors for electricallyconnecting adjacent ends of successive, eo-axial or transverselyextending outlets:

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary, longitudinal section of another'form ofconnector shown connecting adjacent ends of successive, co-axialoutlets;

Fig. 10 is a front elevation, cover removed, of the connector shown inFig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a cross section taken substantially along the lines II-Il ofFig. 9;

Fig. 12 is an end view of the connector shown in Fig. 10; and

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary section similar to Fig. 9, showing thearrangement of the connector for connecting the adjacent ends ofsuccessive, transversely extending outlets.

In many rooms only one conventional outlet I5 is employed for supplyingelectrical energy to electrical apparatus and appliances. At best only afew random outlets are employed and usually in inconvenient locations,so that the arrangement of the furniture and electrical appliances insuch rooms is more or less fixed without much regard for the interiordecoration or arrangement subsequently decided upon. The result of thisdearth and random location of unskilled persons to adapt inconvenientand unsuited electrical supply conditions to frequently changing ideasof decoration and arrangement. These attempts are evidenced bydangerous, exposed wiring, unsightly and entangling extension or dropcords, and/or various other cru'de makeshifts for connecting theincreasing number of electrical appliances that are becoming to beregarded as necessities.

According to the present invention, various electrical appliances, suchas a radio I6 and a lamp l'l 'may be arranged at any desired location ina room irrespective oi' the location of the outlet I5 and may besupplied with electrical energy through cables or cords i8 havingconventional plugs I9 by "plugging in a continuous outlet 2l secured toattaching surfaces -or walls 22. The continuous outlet 2l is energizedfrom the house wiring system lby, for example, a cord 23 having aconventional plug 24 at each end thereof for plugging in theconventional outlet I5 and the continuous outlet 2|.

'I'he continuous outlet of the invention is useful and may be made forvarious arrangements, assemblies, and purposes. It is important,however, that a plurality of electrical conductors 25, substantiallychannel shaped as shown in Fig. 2, circular, as shown in Fig. 3, orhollow, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, be made of, for example,

resilient material and arranged for removably` receiving prongs orcontacting arms 26 of the conventional plugs in contacting relationship.

In the form shown in Fig; 2, two opposed channel shaped members areemployed to provide a contact for each prong 26. channel shaped members25 are embedded or otherwise secured in and of a strip 2l of insulatingThese extend longitudinally material such as wood,

Ait will be observed molded resins, such as Bakelitef rubber, rubbercomposition, etc. This assembly in the insulating material isillustrated in Fig. 2 in connection with wood molding having a pair ofspaced parallel slots or recesses 2l extending longitudinally thereofand having at their inner ends oppositely lextending transverse slots 2lcommunicating with the slots 28. The slots 2l also communicateintermediate their ends with oppositely extending transverse slots Iiand I2.

The lower or inner flanges of the channel shaped members are secured inthe slots 2O and the webs of each pair of the channels converge fromthese lower or inner ilanges, outwardly to the outer flanges whichextendinto the slots 3l and 32. The outer flanges are secured in theslots 3i, but are movable in the slots l2 in order that each pair ofopposed channel shaped members 25 may be spread apart by a contact arm26 of a conventional plug. Suitable mounting means 33 are provided forsecuring the outlet to the attaching surfaces. In such an outlet a plugelectrically connected to any desired electrical appliance, or aplurality of such plugs may be plugged in anywhere along the entirelength of the molding or outlet, the resilient members 25 providing goodelectrical contactors yieldably engaging opposite sides of each arm ofthe plug.

In Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the molding strip 21 is illustrated as being madeof rubber, a composition thereof, or of some insulating material otherthan wood. In the case of rubber. the contacting pressure exerted by themembers 25 on the contact arms 26 of the plug or plugs may be suppliedby the elasticity of the rubber as illustrated in Fig. 3 or partially bythe elasticity of the rubber and partially by the resiliency of themembers 25 themselves, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

With more particular reference now to Fig. 3.

that the spaced plug arm reeach provided with a pair In other words, aconductor 25 is embedded in each side wall of each slot 2B so that eachplug arm 2i can be forced between a pair of the conductors, theelasticity of the rubber permitting the conductors to spreadsuiiiciently to receive the arms and holding the contacting parts ingood electrical contact.

In Figs. 4 and 5, each conductor 25 takes substantially the form of afigure'. with oppositely extending flanges 3l embedded in the molding 21and with a yieldable outer opening 3l and a yieidable inner opening 3B.The prongs or plug arms 26 may be inserted into contact with the members25 through the openings 3l and It, spreading the members apart at eachopening as the plug arms are forced therethrough. Ii desired, as shownin Fig. 5, an enamel or nonconducting coating 31 may be formed on themembers 25 at opposite sides of the outer opening 35 whereby the currentcarrying members 25 are more completely isolated from the plug side ofthe molding.

The continuous outlet already described is adapted to be provided instrips of any desired length and a pluralityof such strips may beelectrically connected together end to end, in coaxial relationship, orangulariy rotated to suit the particular' configuration of the surfaceto which the electrified molding or continuous outlet is attached.'Various forms of connectors suitable for this purpose are shown inFigs. 6 to 13. Since these connectors are provided in pairs, each beingceiving slots 28 are of the conductors 25.

, site sides thereof. This connector may be identical with the other inthe pair, only one of each is illustrated and will bedescribed.

Each connector of the type shown in l'lg. 8 is provided with obposltelyextending, wedgeshaped members lt having stop lugs Il at oppomployed toconnect the adjacent ends of two succeeding molding strips 2| togetherby inserting amember Il into eachoi theslots latanend and axiallythereof, between the channel shaped` conductors in -Fig. 2, between theoonductors in Fig. 3, orinto the openings Il and It in Fig. 4. up tothelugs 3l. The adjacent and of the strip to be connected is thenpositioned so that the opposite members ll are aligned with the slots 2lin the latter strip. This strip is forced axially thereof into abuttingD with the lugs 39. In this position each oonnector electricallyconnects the corresponding conductor 25 in two co-axial molding stripsor outlets.

0n the other hand, where desired, the connectors, Aof the 4type shown inFig. 6, may be lnsertedy into the slots 28 at an angle to the outletstrip and another strip connected to the opposite ends of theconnectors, as described above, to connect the strips together at anangle to one another.

A hollow tube 4I having a slit I2 longitudinally thereof to permitcontracting the -tube Il to a diameter slightly less than the hollowlower portion of the figure l conductor shown in Fig. d may be employedto connect the corresponding conductors of this type in two strips oroutlets. Each such tube, while being held in the contracted positionslides into the lower portion of the oorresponding conductors of thetype shown in Fig. 4 and upon being released, expands and resilientlycontacts the conductors embracing it.

Fig. 8 shows a connector that is solid and has arms 43 tapering at.their ends Il to permit sliding the arms into the conductors shown inFig. 4. A iiange l5 intermediate the ends of this oonnector serves as alimiting stop for the connector.

In Figs. 9 .to 13, a housing or casing stantially the same constructionand appearance as the molding or insulating strip 21 is provided with adished portion and a cover portion l1 secured together and attachable toa mounting surface or wall by screws or other suitable attaching meansIt. The housing or casing thus formed is provided at one end with spacedslots l! in the dished member It of the casing and at its other end withspaced slots Il in the end wall of the dished member 4l and spaced slots52 in the end of the cover member l1 communieating with the slots il. Apair of spaced, parallel grooves 53 in the cover member 41 simulate theslots 28 in the molding or continuous outlet.

A pair of conducting buses or strips Il are secured on internalshoulders or ledges Il at opposite sides of a central, longitudinaldepression Il inside of the casing by transverse, insulating straps 51held in place by a washer Il and n'uts ll on each screw I8. Each stripor bus Il is provided at each end with an outstanding pro- .jection orlug ti which is turned or formed outwardly as at 62 to provideacontacting arm 03 extending through a slot l! at one end and a slot 5|at the other end of the strip or bus. These arms 83 are adapted to slidebetween the conductors shown in Figs. 2 and 3 either longitudinally orangularly thereof, or into the openof subings 35 and 3B of Fig. 4,longitudinally or angularly of the conductors therein illustrated.

In order to provide for a corner connection, each bus or strip may beturned or folded outwardly, as illustrated in Fig. 13,v to a positionwhere the contacting arms project through the slots 52 in the vcovermember 4'! of the casing. In this position the outstanding projectionsare folded back outwardly of the straps 51 to provide a thrust bearingfor the contact arms.

By the term "mechanically separate" as employed in the claims is meantthat the conductors are mechanically independent except insofar as theyare supported in operative relationship by the insulating material. Inother words, the vconductors are not integrally connected in such amanner as to exert any substantial individual plug gripping tensionexcept that due to the resiliency of theinsulating strip.

While the invention has beenW described for use in connection withhousewiring systems, it will be understood that the continuousoutlet'may be employed in various `other electrical systems whereattaching surfaces are provided and where it is desirable to distributeelectrical energy to a plurality of electrical appliances.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

l. 'A continuous electrical outlet adapted to receive throughout litslength one or more outlet plugs in operative electrical contact,comprising a yieldable strip of insulating material having av pair ofslots extending longitudinally thereof and adapted to receive thecontact arms of an outlet plug, a pair of mechanically separateelectrical conductors in each of said slots each conductor of each saidpair of conductors being yieldably supported by a wall of said slotwhereby'said strip and said conductors are yieldable transv versely ofthe outlet at plug inserting pressures plugs in operative electricalcontact. comprising a yieldable strip of insulating material having apair of slots extending longitudinally thereof and adapted to receivethe contact arms of an outlet plug, a pair of mechanically separateelectrical conductors in each of said slots and yieldably mounted uponsaid strip whereby said strip and said conductors are yieldabletransversely of the outlet at plug inserting pressures so as to urge theconductors toward the arms of the plug, said conductors being of suchshape as to permit ready bending of the outlet whereby the outlet issubstantially conformable to irregular wall surfaces.

3. vA continuous electrical outlet adapted to receive throughout itslength one or more outlet plugs in operative electrical contact,comprising a yieldable strip of insulating material having a pair ofslots defined by elastically yieldable opposed walls extendinglongitudinally thereof and adapted to receive the contact arms oi anoutlet plug, a pair of mechanically separate electrical conductors ineach of said slots and yieldably mounted upon said strip whereby saidstrip and said conductors are yieldable transversely of the outlet atplug inserting pressures so as to urge the conductors toward the arms ofthe plug, said conductors comprising wires extending longitudinally ofthe strip and mounted upon the yieldable wallsof the slot whereby plugcontacting pressures are exerted by the yieldability of the strip.

4. A continuous electrical outlet adapted to re- I ceive throughout itslength one or more outlet so as to urge the conductors toward the armsof the plug.

2. A continuous electrical outlet adapted to receive throughout itslength one or more outlet plugs in operative electrical contact,comprising a yieldable strip of insulating material having a pai? ofslots extending longitudinally thereof and adapted to receive thecontact arms of an outlet plug, a pair of mechanically separateelectrical conductors in each of said slots and mounted in opposedrelationship upon opposite walls of each slot, whereby said strip andsaid conductors are yieldable transversely of the outlet at pluginserting pressures so as to urge the conductors toward the arms of theplug.

GEORGE H. voN ciEHR.

